A lost masterpiece by one of Birmingham's favourite sons will be the centrepiece of an exhibition in the Midlands tomorrow - just weeks before it is expected to set a world record at auction.

The Sea Nymph by Edward Burne-Jones ' vanished' from public view for 97 years before it was rediscovered in a private collection.

Tomorrow it will be displayed at Packington Hall, Meriden, Warwickshire, ahead of a potentially record auction at Christie's in London next month.

Described as a "a great rarity in today's market," The Sea Nymph is estimated to fetch between £1.2 million and £1.8 million, which would be a world record for a Burne-Jones'.

Burne-Jones, who was born in Birmingham and died in 1898 aged 65, had made reference to the painting in his records, proving its existence. But it was not until experts tracked down a descendant of the original owner that they were able to locate it.

The painting had been the property of wealthy Glaswegian ship-owner, William Connal. When he decided to sell his entire collection in 1908, his sister, Bessie Arthur, purchased the painting to keep it in the family.

However, she could not afford to save the more expensive Wood Nymph, which was painted as part of a pair with the Sea Nymph. The Wood Nymph is now kept in South Africa's National Gallery in Cape Town.

Tomorrow's invitationonly exhibition at Packington Hall has been organised by Christie's and will also feature celebrated modern masters such as Ben and William Nicholson, Stanley Spencer and a coastal scene painted by Sir Winston Churchill which has not been seen in public since 1955.

They will be alongside a broad spectrum of watercolours including works by Samuel Palmer, JMW Turner and another Birmingham artist, David Cox.

Christie's regional representative Jane Blood said: "We haven't done anything in the Birmingham area for a long time but the Burne- Jones painting was a perfect opportunity."